In some embodiments, a method may be provided for calibrating integrated circuit temperature sensors. The method may include sensing a first temperature using a first temperature sensor and a second temperature using a second temperature sensor. The first temperature sensor may be calibrated and is external to a package of the integrated circuit. The second temperature sensor may be included in the integrated circuit. The method may include increasing a temperature of the integrated circuit. The method may include allowing the integrated circuit and the package to thermally equilibrate over a first period of time. The method may include sensing a first slope of a temperature decay by the first temperature sensor. The method may include sensing a second slope of a temperature decay by the second temperature sensor. The method may include calibrating the second temperature sensor responsive to a difference between the first and second temperatures and the first and second slopes.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for calibrating integrated circuit temperature sensors, comprising: sensing a first temperature using a first temperature sensor and a second temperature using a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is calibrated and is external to a package of the integrated circuit, and wherein the second temperature sensor is included in the integrated circuit; increasing a temperature of the integrated circuit; allowing the integrated circuit and the package to thermally equilibrate over a first period of time; sensing a first slope of a temperature decay by the first temperature sensor; sensing a second slope of a temperature decay by the second temperature sensor; comparing the first temperature to the second temperature to determine a temperature offset; comparing the first slope to the second slope to determine a slope offset; and calibrating the second temperature sensor using the temperature offset and the slope offset.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said increasing comprises increasing an applied voltage to the integrated circuit such that the temperature of the integrated circuit is increased.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said increasing comprises executing a power intensive program on a processor included in the integrated circuit.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second temperature sensor is initially uncalibrated.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensing a first slope comprises sensing at least a third and a fourth temperature over a second period of time using the first temperature sensor.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said sensing a second slope comprises sensing at least a fifth and a sixth temperature over a third period of time using the second temperatures sensor.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second period of time and the third period of time are substantially equivalent.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said calibrating comprises using the first temperature and the first slope as a standard and adjusting for differences between the first temperature and the first slope and the second temperature and the second slope.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising burning in a correction in the second temperature sensor using the calibration.
10. A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions for calibrating integrated circuit temperature sensors, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to: sense a first temperature using a first temperature sensor and a second temperature using a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is calibrated and is external to a package of the integrated circuit, and wherein the second temperature sensor is included in the integrated circuit; increase a temperature of the integrated circuit; allow the integrated circuit and the package to thermally equilibrate over a first period of time; sense a first slope of a temperature decay by the first temperature sensor; sense a second slope of a temperature decay by the second temperature sensor; compare the first temperature to the second temperature to determine a temperature offset; compare the first slope to the second slope to determine a slope offset; and calibrate the second temperature sensor using the temperature offset and the slope offset.
11. The memory medium of claim 10 , wherein said increase comprises increasing an applied voltage to the integrated circuit such that the temperature of the integrated circuit is increased.
12. The memory medium of claim 10 , wherein said increase comprises executing a power intensive program on a processor included in the integrated circuit.
13. The memory medium of claim 10 , wherein said calibrate comprises using the first temperature and the first slope as a standard and adjusting for differences between the first temperature and the first slope and the second temperature and the second slope.
14. The memory medium of claim 10 , wherein the second temperature sensor is initially uncalibrated.
15. The memory medium of claim 10 , wherein said sense a first slope comprises sensing at least a third and a fourth temperature over a second period of time using the first temperature sensor.
16. The memory medium of claim 15 , wherein said sense a second slope comprises sensing at least a fifth and a sixth temperature over a third period of time using the second temperatures sensor.
17. The memory medium of claim 16 , wherein the second period of time and the third period of time are substantially equivalent.
18. The memory medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to burn in a correction in the second temperature sensor using the calibration.
19. A method for calibrating integrated circuit temperature sensors, comprising: sensing a first temperature using a first temperature sensor and a second temperature using a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is calibrated and is external to a package of the integrated circuit, and wherein the second temperature sensor is included in the integrated circuit; increasing a temperature of the integrated circuit comprising increasing an applied voltage to the integrated circuit such that the temperature of the integrated circuit is increased; allowing the integrated circuit and the package to thermally equilibrate over a first period of time; sensing a first slope of a temperature decay by the first temperature sensor; sensing a second slope of a temperature decay by the second temperature sensor; comparing the first temperature to the second temperature to determine a temperature offset; comparing the first slope to the second slope to determine a slope offset; calibrating the second temperature sensor using the temperature offset and the slope offset; and burning in a correction in the second temperature sensor using the calibration.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said increasing comprises executing a power intensive program on a processor included in the integrated circuit.
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October 30, 2013
September 13, 2016
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